“forget your Comfort zone”

How Mission: Impossible star Rebecca Ferguson confronted her fears with the help of Tom Cruise and some fierce marine predators

THE RED BULLETIN: Have you ever faced a mission impossible of your own?

REBECCA FERGUSON: Yes, the time I had to jump off a building, 40m up.

Would anyone with their head screwed on do that?

The Mission: Impossible 5 crew would. In this scene, Tom Cruise and I had to leap from the roof of the Vienna State Opera building. We were wearing harnesses, but I can’t believe I went through with it – I’m terrified of heights.

How did you manage it?

I kept practising until I’d conquered the fear. We approached that particular scene gradually. You start from a height of around 2-3m, then you move up to 5 or 6m. And you start by lowering yourself down very slowly. By the end of the process, you’re leaping the full distance.